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The Puerto Rican Festival of Syracuse Returns for its 4th year The Puerto Rican Festival of Syracuse returns for its 4th year

By Mikey Lamarre

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© 2020 Puerto Rican Festival of Syracuse

Mikey Lamarre, Reporter: JESÚS ROLÓN, THE HEAD ORGANIZER OF THE PUERTO RICAN FESTIVAL, MADE THE DECISION TO BRING BACK AN OLD SYRACUSE TRADITION.

JESÚS ROLÓN, Head Organizer: THE PUERTO RICAN FESTIVAL THAT USED TO HAPPEN MANY MANY YEARS AGO AND WHEN I ASK PEOPLE THEY WOULD DESCRIBE IT LIKE A FUN EVENT

Lamarre: ROLÓN FACED MANY SETBACKS FROM THE TIME HE DECIDED TO BRING BACK THE FAMED FESTIVAL. THE COVID PANDEMIC AND FUNDING WERE SOME OF HIS BIGGEST ROADBLOCKS, BUT THERE’S ONE THING THAT KEPT HIM MOTIVATED.

ROLÓN: FEEDBACK THAT I GOT FROM PEOPLE, THAT THEY LOVED IT, THAT THEY ENJOY IT, THAT THEY FEEL CONNECTED, AND THAT’S WHAT I LOVE.

Lamarre: THROUGH ROLÓN’S RESILIENCE, HE WAS ABLE TO RESTORE A BROKEN TRADITION AND BRING HIS COMMUNITY CLOSER TOGETHER WHILE EDUCATING THE CITY.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — The 4th annual Puerto Rican Festival is back in Central New York. This festival is a cultural explosion, and it continues to grow year after year. The festival is next weekend and will be a day filled with live music, food, vendors and activities for kids.

This year’s theme for the festival is Fiesta de la Calle San Syracuse. Coined after Fiesta de la Calle San Sebastián, the four-day celebration held in Puerto Rico in honor of Saint Sebastián. The festival will also include a live performance from a Rochester bomba group, while also highlighting local Puerto Ricans in the community.

Jesús Rolón, the Puerto Rican Festival Organizer, started the festival in 2020 amid the Coronavirus pandemic. Despite the roadblocks, Rolón has been committed to the cause ever since.

“Every night just be consistent in what I do,” Rolón said.

With a small staff of five other volunteers and a lack of funding, their passion is what fuels this project. Nonetheless, Rolón believes the festival is in a great place even with the challenges he’s faced.

The Puerto Rican population in Syracuse and the Central New York region is constantly growing, so Rolón wanted to start something to serve and celebrate the Puerto Rican community.

“The Puerto Rican Festival in Syracuse New York promotes cultural awareness and understanding of the Puerto Rican heritage,” he said.

Rolón wants to use this festival as an opportunity to bridge the gap between multiple generations, so traditions don’t get lost and  the younger generations stay connected to their island.

Bea Gonzalez,  a community leader and the former Vice President of Community Engagement for Syracuse University will be one of the locals honored at the event. Additionally, a high school student will be crowned as the Puerto Rican Festival Queen and receive a scholarship.

Rolón says to “come out and have some fun”, he encourages everyone of all backgrounds to come out for this cultural experience and looks forward to bringing a taste of Puerto Rico to Central New York.

The festival is on Saturday, July 27 at 1:00 p.m. at Sharkey’s Bar & Grill in Liverpool.

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